Chrysanthemum has many benefits for our body. Unfortunately behind the benefits, the use of synthetic acarisida in pesticide sprayed onto chrysantheum tend to leave chemical residues at which difficult to decompose and harmful for human health.
Data released by Health Agency in 2007 on monitoring of organophosphat and carbamat pesticide poisoning in 27 provinces in Indonesia, indicated that 61.82% farmers have normal cholinesterase activities, 1.3% severe poisoning, 9.98% medium poisoning and 26.89% light poisoning.
Natural acarisida alternatives are highly searched for as having lower side effects towards the environment and human health. One of them is negetable akarisida from Paitan leaf.
Paitan leaf extract made by three Agricultural students in Department of Pests and Plant Diseases also Department of Agricultural Cultivation. They are Munika Dwi Nurul Hidayah, Yogi Nasrul Anas and Diya Khoirun Nisa. Paitan contains of secondary metabolite compunds such as Alkoloid, Saponin, Tannin, Terpenoid, and Flavonoid which able to kill mites Tetranychus sp with the workings of the contact system and stomach poison. Alkoloid and tannin functioned as Antifeedant through the aroma and bitterness expelled by paitan leaf extract and so Tetranychus sp are reluctant to eat chrysanthemum leaf. Terpenoid attacks mites’ nervous system and so they will lose their body coordination balance.
Treatment results of trials conducted in mortality percentage at the lowest concentration indicated that mite population death was more than 50% in 12 hours.
The low concentration of paitan leaf extract and the short time required to kill mite Tetranychus sp was due to contents of secondary metabolite compound in paitan leaf. The compound in which works by paitan leaf in the chrysanthemum leaf enter the mites’ body during their eating process, while contact poison works when the miotes actively move on the leaf surface and in direct contact with EDP.
Diya added that utilization of natural acarisida in concentration consists of a bit mite mortality percentage is already high, moreover if the concentration increased, then mite’s mortality percentage must be increase as well.
“The paitan leaf acarisida is environmental friendly and safe for human health for long-term use,” said Yogi.
Munika added, the team will work together with Brawijaya University business incubator in order to produce paitan leaf in a balanced dose in appropriate with farmers’ need.
It aims to facilitate farmers in using acarisida of Paitan Leaf Extract in which will be implemented into agricultural land. [*/Humas UB/trans. Denok]
